Finding Balance in the Highs and Lows

 

“I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees;

I will not neglect your word.”

Psalm 119:15-16 (NIV)

 

I have a condition known as hypoglycemia. It happens when my blood sugar (glucose) is used up too quickly or when it goes into my bloodstream too slowly. The symptoms I get can vary. I might suddenly become shaky, very tired and hungry or I may get confused or irritable. Yes, I know some of you are thinking “So how is that different from any other day?” Very funny.

While I have never gotten to this point, I do know that if it becomes too severe, seizures or even a coma might occur. So I have to take care of myself.

But here’s the truth: sometimes I don’t. Yes, I am very aware that I need to eat small meals throughout the day and not skip a meal or go too long between them. I also know that if I eat a diet every day that is balanced with protein, vegetables, fruits and fiber while limiting sugars, I will have very few episodes of hypoglycemia.

And yet, too often I try a “quick fix” to correct the problem, like a candy bar. And it will “fix” the low blood sugar – for a while. But all the candy bar will end up doing is shooting the blood sugar up as it dumps a temporary boost into my bloodstream and then disappearing as I drop to another low.  And I am left with the choice of either grabbing another candy bar for another temporary fix or eating a meal that is balanced.

Sometimes my prayer life is like that. I am in God’s Word for days, seeking His face, asking for His guidance, praising Him for His grace and forgiveness. I am “balanced” and ready for anything that might come my way.

But then one day I “skip a meal” of His Word and think I can make up for it later with a candy bar: a verse or two from Scripture and a short prayer. Will it give me a temporary boost? Sure. But now I have a decision to make. I can either wait until another low comes, whether it is a situation at work or a concern at home, and grab another verse or two and hope it moves me up into the high range. Or I can make time to feast daily on balanced meals of reading God’s Word and seeking His direction for my life.  

Just as a balanced diet every day without skipping a meal can prevent the majority of my blood sugar problems, so a balanced “diet” of being in God’s Word daily can keep me balanced between the highs and lows of life.

Lord, I do not want a temporary fix of a few minutes with you every day or two. I want to soak in your Word as I look for your direction for my life. Help me to daily seek you with all my heart. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

• Do you find yourself in a “hit and miss” relationship with the Lord when it comes to your prayer time?

 

• What prevents you from daily conversations with God?

 

Apply

• Make a list of all the activities that you participate in for one full day.

 

• Draw a line through those things on your list that could be eliminated or rescheduled so you can have face-to-face time with the Lord.

 

 

Power

• Psalm 119:15-16 (NIV) “I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.”

 

• Matthew 24:35 (NIV) “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

 

• Psalm 119:105 (NIV) “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”

 

Mommy, Come!

 

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)

 

 “Mommy, come!” I heard the little voice call. My two-year old son had an answer ready each time I walked in his room and said “What do you need, sweetie?” A drink. His blankie. A hug. Another hug. Just one more song.

 

After several evenings of him calling and my going to his crib, I knew something had to change. I had tried reminding him with each request that he already had a drink of water and his blankie was in his bed with him; that we had hugged three times and sung two extra songs. But nothing worked. He continued to repeat “Mommy, come!” again and again and again as soon as I left his room.

 

My husband and I realized that our son really didn’t need another drink or song or hug. He simply needed to be sure that, in the darkness of the night when he could not see us, we were still close by. So we decided on a nighttime routine.

 

When it was time for bed, we carried our little one into his bedroom, hugged him and whispered “Night night. Mommy and Daddy are going to bed, too. We love you. See you in the morning,” as we would smile and shut his door.

 

And, even though it was extremely hard, we did not go back in when we heard that precious voice calling. Of course we were still listening. Of course we peeked into his room after he fell asleep. Of course we were always there, even though he couldn’t see or hear us during the night.

 

But he needed to learn to trust that, even though we didn’t come the second he called, we would come. And in the morning, when I heard that sweet “Mommy, come!” I could not wait to open the door and sweep him up in my arms and say “Here I am!” as I covered him with hugs and kisses.

 

We are a lot like my son, aren’t we? The “darkness” of a job loss or a crisis in marriage or a prodigal child or a major health issue hits and we panic when our Father does not come immediately when we call. We mistake the silence for not caring or hearing and we wrestle with fear of the unknown and discouragement.

 

But look at Deuteronomy 31:8. The Lord tells us that He will never – say that word – never leave us. Sometimes, like my son, we need to learn to trust. We need to trust that the God of the Universe is still beside us, listening and loving. Even though we don’t see Him. Even though we don’t hear Him.

 

I encourage you to hold on through the night. That’s when we learn to trust that our Father has not left us. He is near, watching over us, guiding and protecting us every second of the day and night. He hears us when we call and He is faithful.

 

Father, help me to trust that you will never leave me, whether it’s in the darkest night or light of day. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 

 

Reflect

• Have you ever felt like God was far away and did not hear you when you called on Him?

 

• Were you filled with fear and panic or did you trust the Lord?

 

Apply

• Journal and memorize Deuteronomy 31:8.

 

• When you struggle with fear, say Deuteronomy 31:8 aloud, placing “me” in place of “you” in the Scripture. Then thank Him for His faithfulness.

 

Power

• Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV) “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

 

• Psalm 116:2 (NIV) “Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.”

 

• Psalm 77:2 (NIV) “When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted.”

 

 

Harvest and the Hay Crew

 

“Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’”

Matthew 9:37 (NIV)

 

 “The hay crew is here. See you at lunch,” my dad would call to my mother as he headed out the door to the barn. My sisters, brother and I would scramble to get the best spot on the front porch to watch the parade of tractors, combines, hay rakes, balers and wagons being driven or pulled onto our farm to help with harvest.

 

Driving that machinery were neighbors from nearby farms who helped each other in the hay fields every summer as well as a hay crew hired from around the community. The focus of each man was to work together to bring in the harvest.

 

We never tired of watching the process of harvesting each summer. First the hay was cut and allowed to dry. Then it was raked into rows and pulled up into a baler that shoved the hay into bales, tied them with twine and “spit” them out onto the ground.

 

The hay crew would throw each bale on a wagon where other crew members carefully stacked it so it would not fall. When the wagon was full, the bales were hauled to the barn and stored for the winter months when food would not easily be found for our cattle.

 

While all this was going on, my mother would be preparing a huge lunch for the men so they could get refueled for an afternoon back in the hot fields. Dad knew how hard the men worked and would stop for water breaks to cool off throughout the day in addition to rewarding each one with a generous paycheck when the work was done.

 

After several years of harvesting, my dad began to notice a difference in the attitudes of the young men who made up the hay crews. They began to demand changes. They wanted more water breaks and an even bigger lunch. They complained about the heat but wanted the same pay to work less hours in the fields.

 

Their excuses were varied: “I need to leave early. I have a date,” said one. “It’s just not fun anymore,” commented another young man. And a third member of the hay crew was overheard saying “It’s not MY hay. Why should I care if it gets done or not?”

 

The focus of the hay crew was no longer on the importance of the harvest but on themselves. Where once there was a pride in how the bales were stacked, they instead were thrown on the wagon - and ultimately in the barn - in a haphazard and unsafe manner.

As the focus shifted from bringing in the harvest to taking care of perceived needs, the result was instant: a lot of the hay remained in the field and was lost.

 

Jesus talked often about the harvest of souls and the need for workers in the harvest field. But so many times, just like those young men, we have excuses for not being a willing, enthusiastic member of the “hay crew.” Here are some of mine: “I don’t know what to say to him.” Or “They won’t listen to me anyway.” And “What if she gets mad?” What about “My life isn’t what it should be so how can I talk to someone?”

 

Let me ask you something. Are any of those excuses (and they are excuses) acceptable to the Lord? No, not one. The harvest is all around us; we are simply asked to step into the field and share Jesus. He will lead us every single step of the way. Let us work as hard as we can as members of the “hay crew” so that none will be left in the field.  

 

Father, right now I pray that you will send workers to the harvest. And I also ask that you will give me opportunities to share your name with the harvest, no matter where I am. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 

 

Reflect

• What are some of your reasons for not sharing Jesus with the “harvest” around you?

 

• Do those reasons for not sharing Jesus focus on the “harvest” or on you?

 

Apply

• Before you get out of your car to go shopping, ask the Lord to show you someone specific that He wants you to share the Good News with and listen for His answer.

 

• Strike up a conversation in the checkout line with the person behind you as you wait and casually mention how God has blessed you.

 

Power

• Matthew 9:37 (NIV) “Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’”

 

• Proverbs 10:5 (NIV) “He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.”

 

• II Timothy 1:7 (NIV) “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”

 

Defective Clothing

 

 

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Ephesians 6:13 (NIV)

 

Hand-me-down clothes were the norm for me growing up in a family of five kids. And being the middle child guaranteed that I would always be the recipient of whatever my older sister outgrew like shoes, shorts, and shirts. I never really cared because we were the same size.

 

Until I grew more quickly and became taller and lankier than my sister. And I inherited her swimsuit that was two sizes too big for me. It didn’t matter if the swimsuit was too large when my sisters and I swam in our farm pond; but that all changed the day our parents took us to town to swim at the community swimming pool.

 

The too large swimsuit dilemma was real: did I opt out of swimming with my friends and tell them I was sick or did I take a chance and swim anyway? The beautiful clear water gave me my answer: swim! And I did.

 

Oh the fun! Swimming under water like a dolphin with my friends. Laughing as we splashed each other. Perfect warm day. Perfect cloudless sky. Perfect blue water. Everything was perfect. Until I drove into the pool and came up out of the water. And my swimsuit did not. Defective clothing that offered no protection – that’s what I wore that day.

 

 Ephesians 6:13 talks about a different kind of clothing. It talks about armor –the full armor of God. The protection it offers covers us, not just physically, but spiritually and mentally. Paul understood completely the spiritual battle believers face. Satan never rests as he tries to shake our belief in God by shooting at us with arrows of doubt and fear and anxiety. But when we are covered in the armor of God, we can stand strong against whatever is thrown our way.

 

As we continue reading in Ephesians 6, we are encouraged to clothe ourselves with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness and feet fitted with readiness. And we must always put on the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation while we clinch the sword of the Spirit.

 

Where do we find all that armor? In the word of God, the Bible. Unlike my too big swimsuit, being clothed with God’s armor means that it will never be defective and fail. Dive into His word and come up clothed and ready for anything that comes your way!

 

Father, I want to be ready when Satan attacks my life. Please remind me every day to put on the full protective armor that only you can give. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 

Reflect

• Have you ever faced a day when you felt like your “spiritual” clothing did not fit?
• If so, what could be some reasons you felt that way?

 

Apply

• Write Ephesians 6:13-17 on a note card and place it by your bathroom sink. Every morning as you get dressed for the day, “dress” your mind and heart with this Scripture.
• Praise the Lord for His power given to you through the Word.

 

Power

• Ephesians 6:13 (NIV)  “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

 

• Ephesians 6:14-15 (NIV) “Stand firm, then, with the belt of truth, buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”

 

• Ephesians 6:16-17 (NIV) “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

 

I Apologize, Miley Cyrus

 

 

“But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and be thrown in the depths of the sea.”

Matthew 18:6 (NIV) 

 

There was a Hannah Montana doll at a garage sale the other day and it instantly reminded me of the shocking performance at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards by Miley Cyrus, who played Hannah Montana. When all the news outlets began talking about what she was doing on stage I decided that since I worked with teens at the time, I should Google the awards program and see what the commotion was all about. My heart was broken at what I saw.

 

I was stunned by two things: first, at her sexually explicit performance on stage in front of literally millions of people, including young girls who idolized her. As I watched her, it looked and sounded to me like one huge scream from a little girl drowning in the ocean: “Look at me! Please, somebody help me! I have nothing to hold on to, I have no safety net and I’m scared. I’m sinking under the water and no one cares . . . NO ONE!”

 

And second, where were her protectors, her body guards to keep her from harm? Well, her mother was on her feet, clapping thunderously with the audience as they gave her daughter a standing ovation. Her dad, who was not present for the “performance” said that she was still his little girl and he was still her dad “regardless how this circus we call show business plays out. I love her unconditionally and that will never change.”

 

We SHOULD love our children unconditionally but my question would be . . . if you knew it was a circus, why didn’t you pull her out of the tent when she was growing up? Did you share there were lions and tigers in that circus that would rip her to shreds? As we guide and direct our children, we owe them the courtesy of saying “Precious daughter, you are not going to dress provocatively. No, you are not dating at such a young age. Yes, I say no because I love you enough to be honest with you.”

 

 I know that when kids become adults, they make their own choices. But what happened to Destiny Hope Cyrus on that journey to adulthood? That’s what her parents named her when she was born. Destiny stands for “future” and Hope means “dream.” Somehow I cannot believe that those two parents wanted to see their daughter reach her future dream on stage in underwear nor can I believe that that is what Miley herself saw as her future.

 

And yet the very people in her life – the responsible guardians of this young woman’s heart – were cheering her on as she slid under the water of despair with not one life vest thrown to save her.  But there is another part of this story that also bothers me terribly.

 

 I saw the inappropriate acting out of this beautiful young woman when she was a young girl. I saw pictures of very questionable photo shoots . . . and yet I kept on buying from her clothing line for my little girls and allowing them to watch her movies. Shame on me because I, too, looked the other way as she began to drown and I did nothing. Oh, no, wait. I DID do something. I stood on MY feet and clapped thunderously with the audience, just like her mother. How, you might ask?  I supported her lifestyle with what I bought in the stores with her name on the tag. But not anymore.

 

I will no longer watch her movies or videos or buy her clothing. I will not purchase anything that she endorses. But I will pray for her because, more than anything, I want to let this young lady named Destiny Hope Cyrus know that she is valuable, priceless, and precious to the Lord without performing in a circus. That she was bought with a price by the King of Kings because He loves her deeply as His child.

  

I apologize, Miley, for not throwing a life jacket to you and for buying tickets to see you perform in the circus. Please forgive me.  

 

Father, please forgive me for turning a blind eye to this precious child when she was searching for you. Please give me courage and wisdom to speak. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 

Reflect

• Have you ever ignored warning signs in the life of a young person who needed direction?
• What was your reason for not speaking up or trying to help?

Apply

• Before you buy certain items for your children or yourself, double check who backs them or what person has that line of clothing, music, etc.
• If their behaviors are questionable or go against your Christian principles, look for similar items that can replace them.

Power

• Matthew 18:6 (NIV)  “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and be thrown in the depths of the sea.”

 

• Matthew 18:10 (NIV) “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”

 

• Psalm 139:13 (NIV) “For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

 

The Missing Puzzle Piece

 

“. . . He has also set eternity in the hearts of men . . .”

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV)

 

 “What’s da matter with dis ting?” I heard the frustrated little voice ask. I turned around to see what “dis ting” was and bent down, face to face, with one of the 4 year old boys in my Joyful Noise Sunday school class.

 

He could not get a piece of his puzzle to fit where he thought it should go. He had repeatedly twisted the puzzle piece at every angle but while it was similar in shape, it was not the right one. He finally took his fist and began pounding on the puzzle piece, as if he could somehow beat it into the hole. And yet, it still did not match up.

 

I knelt down beside him and quietly shared “The reason that puzzle piece won’t fit in that space is because it isn’t the same shape. We need to look around and find one that is the very same and see if it will fit.” But he shook his head. “Nope. I think I just need to keep hittin’ it with my fist ‘til it goes in,” he responded.

 

I looked through the remaining pieces on the table and found the correct one. “Only one puzzle piece is exactly like that space. Why don’t we try this one and see if it will work?” I asked him. Grudgingly he took it from me but instantly smiled as it fit perfectly in the puzzle. “Thanks,” he told me, “but that other one would have fitted if I hit it a few more times with my fist.”

 

Sound familiar? That’s exactly us when it comes to life. We all have a void inside and nothing will fill it except Jesus. Oh, we can try to fill it with other things – and we do. We try money or a career or relationships. We may even try to put family in that spot and push and shove to make it fit.

 

That might result with the appearance of “fitting” and result in temporary happiness but it will never be the exact fit that will bring us joy and peace for all  eternity.

Solomon, the writer of Ecclesiastes 3:11, understood. He wrote that God “has also set eternity in the hearts of men.”

 

Solomon had it all: wisdom beyond compare, wealth with no equal, every pleasure that money could buy. And yet he knew that his heart was not complete – that the pieces of his life did not fit together – without God.

 

God has placed an empty spot for a puzzle piece in our hearts. What puzzle piece will you choose to fit in that space? I choose Jesus.

 

Father, thank you for giving me your son to fill the longing in my heart for a place in eternity with you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

 

Reflect

• Have you ever felt a longing in your heart for more than just what the world offers?

 

• What worldly solutions have you tried to satisfy that longing? Did anything work?

 

 

Apply

• Journal those things in your life that are puzzle pieces you have used to try to fill the void in your heart.

 

• Read today’s Ecclesiastes 3:11 aloud, replacing the word “eternity.” with each of those things. Compare them with the gift of eternal life with Jesus.

 

Power

• Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV) “. . . He has also set eternity in the hearts of men . . .”

 

·  Psalm 63:1 (NIV) “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

• Psalm 42:1 (NIV) “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.”

Judging By a Nose

 “Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.”

John 7:24 (NIV)

A friend of mine remembers her first experiences as a licensed driver at age 16. Not because she had accidents or near-accidents (although I am sure there may have been some). But she remembers distinctly having to tilt her head up at an angle to see over the dashboard every time she drove. The reason? She was not very tall and their family car was huge. So the only way she could see clearly was to do a “nose in the air” pose.

 

One day at high school there were class changes and she found herself in a room with some girls she didn’t know. As they became acquainted, the girls chatted about clothes, music and getting their licenses and my friend shared her frustration at being so short that she had to constantly peek over the dashboard as she drove.

 

Only later did two of the girls tell her: “We always saw you driving with your nose up in the air and we thought you were a snob. You never looked at us or even waved. We want to apologize because we judged you on something silly without even knowing you or what was going on.”

I think we have all had that same thing happen at least once in our lives. Someone judged us unfairly and based their opinion on something totally wrong. But let’s take it one step further: have WE been the ones doing that judging? 

How about the time we saw two people together talking and we assumed and judged a relationship that was not there. Then we shared our assumption repeatedly until it became “fact.” Or the time we overheard one comment during a conversation and built a story in our minds that had no basis in fact at all. And we shared our opinions. And people were hurt.

 

In John 7:24, Jesus speaks very clearly concerning making assumptions and judging. He doesn’t say “If someone judges you, judge them back.” or “Only judge when you have the facts.” No, He leaves no doubt in what we should do when He says “Stop judging by mere appearance.” Stop it. Don’t do it. Period. 

Why not simply lift up that person in prayer and say “Father, I am not sure if there is something going on in her life but I AM sure that you know.” There is only one outcome for judging and jumping to conclusions: missing the target and landing face down in a heap of embarrassment and regret. God’s job is to judge. Our job is to pray. Even when it comes to a nose pose. 

Father, forgive me for those times when I have assumed and judged someone instead of praying. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . . 

Reflect

• Have you ever had a rumor told about you that was based on a completely wrong assumption?

• Have you ever judged someone because you made an incorrect assumption about a situation? 

Apply

• The next time you are tempted to assume and judge a situation by what you have seen, stop and put yourself in that person’s place immediately.

• Then lift them up to the Lord and thank Him for being in control of all things.

Power 

• John 7:24 (NIV) “Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.” 

• James 5:9 (NIV) “Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!”

• Luke 6:31 (NIV) “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”